Not to miss places near Delta Montreal Hotel?

[Margo]

My boyfriend and I will be staying at the Delta Montreal the 2nd week in August and we're looking to try out some places we can't really find in the San Francisco Bay Area.

We'll be walking and using public transit since we find we get to know areas better that way. We like everything, especially ethnic cuisine. The boyfriend loves Greek food. I heard there were some good Portugese places around so I'm interested in those.

We're on a budget but would like to go to 1 fancy dinner where we can get somewhat dressed up. A nice romantic setting with great food would be perfect. Otherwise, any good and cheap places work for us.

Any info on restaurants and what to order would be great!

Thanks in advance!

[Margo]

Thanks again for all the recs! We are back and had the best time!

I'll try to review the places we went to but might have to come back and edit to add more detail.

Places we visited in no particular order:
Cafe Art Java
Le Petit Alep
Au Pied De Cochon
Bouston
Amir
Basha
Olive & Gourmando
Schwartz
Juliette & Chocolat
La Banquise
Titanic
St. Viateur
La Chilenita
Havre Aux Glaces

Cafe Art Java became my favorite place and we were there almost every morning. It was down the street from the hotel and across from the metro so we would head there and plan our day. I tried their espresso 1st to get the full flavor of the coffee and absolutely fell in love! Their latte's were great as well and my boyfriend, who doesn't drink that much coffee, also commented on how good it was. That's the place I miss the most.

Titanic was a great 1st lunch. Very filling! We had the meat pie and a salmon and cream cheese sandwich. The meat pie was spiced very well and had a great flaky crust almost like filo. The sandwich was really good! Smoked salmon with cream cheese with lettuce, tomato, and yellow green beans on a ciabbata bread. We have tried to recreate this sandwich since we got back. We've gotten pretty close. We also had the San Pellegrino limonatta which I hadn't had before.

Amir, Bouston and Basha became our go to places for when we wanted something fast, cheap and filling. The plates were big enough for the two of us and the food was really good. We had the lamb and chicken on several occasions always moist and flavorful. We didn't tire of this food and wished for more places like this where we live.

Juliette and Chocolate was pretty tasty. We had a chocolate crepe with a latte (again not as good as Cafe Art Java. The crepe was fresh, still warm and the edges were crispy.

Schwartz was an experience. We couldn't believe the line when we got there. Tons of people were waiting. We were there about 20 min before we got pulled out of line since there were only 2 of us. We ended up getting what you all recommended, medium fat, double mustard and Cott soda but no pickles. It was good. Still not sure what kind of meat it was but it looked a lot like corned beef.

O&G was tasty! Their latte was not as good as Cafe Art Java but it was ok. We also had the chocolate and banana brioche, which was divine! It looks really rich but the flavor isn't intense at all. Their Cuban panini was also good, not the best I had but still good and their plain croissant was really buttery.

Petit Alep was delicious! I can’t say enough about this place. Everything was just perfect. We had the filet mignon in a red spicy sauce that was so good I’m still craving it. The pita was more like a lavash bread and it was toasty. The salad had a great dressing that was refreshing. The rice had nice little bits of noodles. I’m hungry for this right now!

We followed Petit Alep with dessert at Havre Aux Glaces. The ice cream was really good and had more of gelato creaminess. We tried the dark chocolate, dulce de leche and strawberry sorbet.

La Banquise was a little out of the way but it was the only time we had poutine. Not bad. We really liked the curds more than the gravy. The fries were good, nice and crispy and not oily at all.

St. Viateur Bagel was good. I really enjoyed these bagels. They were right out of the oven and weren’t chewy or dry. We brought some back home with us and shared with some family members who also liked them better than ones we get here.

La Chilenita was a nice snack of empanadas and alfajores. The empanadas were heated up in a microwave but they still kept their flaky texture. The filling was a meat filling. The alfajores were really good. Crispy and crunchy cookies with a dulce filling rolled in grated coconuts. Very sweet and satisfying.

Au Pied De Cochon was outstanding! I didn’t think I would like it as much as I did. We had the cured foie gras tart which was tart filled with mashes potatoes topped with foie gras. It was good but this was my 1st time having foie gras and I don’t think I would like like it otherwise. We also had the happy pork chop and a special of the day swordfish. These dishes were amazing! The happy pork chop was in a vine and mushroom sauce with some herbs. The swordfish was served on top of cauliflower puree and topped with julienne vegetables in a nice sauce. Both dishes were splendid! We cleaned the entire plate and kept scooping up the sauce with some bread. We had a nice penacotta for dessert.

All in all, we ate really well and would definitely go back to Montreal! There were still places and eats we wanted to explore but didn’t have the time to.

[Fritzy]

Thanks for all the feedback. It is nice to know recommendations don't disappear into thin air. It is good to hear you appreciated the coffee at Java Art.

[Margo]

I'm reading a lot about Au Pied De Cochon. Is it really worth it?

[SnackHappy]

If reading the descriptions of the dishes makes your mouth water, it's totally worth it. You won't regret your experience, It really is that good.

On the other hand If you're feeling hesitant about all that crazy excess, you're better off going somewhere else.

[Maximilien]

it's excessive, but it can be a really cool experience.

on the other hand, NOT in the same neighbourhood, Joe Beef is also very good in its own fashion, and there are some similarities between the 2 restaurants.

-----
Joe Beef
2491 Rue Notre-Dame W, Montreal, QC H3J1N6, CA

[cherylmtl]

Joe Beef may be closed for vacation at that time - best to call and check.

As for APDC, it doesn't have to be excessive (or expensive, for that matter) at all. You can actually have an excellent meal there with no foie gras whatsoever (I know, what's the point, but...). Just remember to keep the large portion size in mind when ordering, and go from there.

As for bagels, my vote goes to St. Viateur, but just stick to sesame or poppyseed at either St. Viateur or Fairmount and they're both fine.

[swissfoodie]

I found that for the price, I have had better meals. Many people like it for the ambiance or the experience but the food was okay, when considering the price/quality ratio IMO.

[Margo]

I made reservations at Au Pied De Cochons. My mouth doesn't water per se but I do want to try it.

Here's our food list so far: I'm still trying to figure out where we'll actually be since we might go to Quebec City one of these days. I'm not too sure how far these places are from each other but they are basically places we want to try. Any recs will definitely be appreciated.

I'm probably more interested in lunch and dinner options since we're both ok with coffe and pastry or croissant for breakfast. Unless there is a really good breakfast place we have to try then please let me know where.

Monday
- Breakfast: St. Viateur for a bagel
- Lunch: Schwarts
- Dinner: cheap and good dinner rec?

Tuesday
- Breakfast: Cafe Art Java for the coffee
- Lunch: Poutine maybe at La Banquise or Patati Patata
- Dinner: cheap and good?

Wednesday
- Breakfast: Le Figaro for croissants
- Lunch: any cheap that aren't too heavy since we're going to APDC?
- Dinner: Au Pied De Cochon- any recs on what to order?

Thursday- hopefully in Quebec City
- Breakfast: Cafe Temporal
- Lunch: Al Wadi or Aux Anciens Canadiens (sp?) depending on our mood
- Dinner: coming back to Montreal?

Friday:
- Breakfast: ?
- Lunch: L'express or Lemeac
- Dinner:?

Saturday
- Breakfast: ?
- Lunch:?
- Dinner: Maybe Bonaparte?

What am I missing?

Thanks so much for all your help!!! I'm getting really excited to go!

[kpzoo]

> since we're both ok with coffe and pastry or croissant for breakfast.

You'll find excellent coffee and out-of-this-world croissants & other baked goods at Olive & Gourmando in Old Montreal. Would fit your Friday or Saturday breakfast bill perfectly (they're closed Sundays & Mondays) and definitely worth a trip! I highly recommend the Valrhona chocolate-chocolate brioche which they used to make only on Fridays. You may also want to pick up a "crack brownie" (they're addictive!) for a snack later in the day. Just call first to make sure they're not closed for vacation.

http://www.oliveetgourmando.com

Enjoy!

-----
Olive et Gourmando
351 Rue Saint-Paul Ouest, Montreal, QC , CA

[Margo]

Thank you so much for all the recommendations! I'm now mapping the places out to see what's around the area we can do sightseeing.

Any other places I'm missing? Any other recs are welcomed!

Oh, and we probably won't be able to go to Quebec City anymore.

[LemonLauren]

If you're looking for a dinner choice with a great variety of food/drink (wraps, salads, amazing sandwiches, fries, etc) affordability and a young-ish vibe, there's a little underground place called "Cafe Etranger" on the south side of St. Catherine just west of university - it's considerably closer to your hotel than most of the other recs here. It's across the street from Tommy Hilfiger.

[Peter Cherches]

I had a Cuban panino at O+G the other day--fantastic. I'll be writing up my Montreal noshes for my blog soon--probably by Wednesday. I went to St. Viateur Cafe, Schwartz's, Le Petit Alep, O+G, and Restaurant Uyghur (highly recommended for both quality and uniqueness). My only dud was at Jardin de Shanghai--awful. I was disappointed to see that La Ravane (Mauritian restaurant on St. Laurent) has been replaced by a coffee joint.

http://petercherches.blogspot.com

[C70]

2 good and local lunch options are:

Boustan on Crescent for a falafel or shish taouk sandwich
Cafe Santropol on St. Urbain for funky, healthy sandwiches- bit of a hippie vibe there.

[CampySD]

Since you mentioned Portuguese in your original post, I have to chime in about the Portuguese area of Mtl. Located mainly on Marie-Anne/Rachel between St Laurent and St Urbain, there is a glut of small, personable restos which are mainly family run.

Chez Doval comes to mind, but my personal favorite's name escapes me (3 years out of the motherland will do that ;)
It's a small "greasy-diner-looking" place on the south side of Rachel 3-4 blocks from the park - it's easy to see the chimney on the east side of the building spewing sweet smoke over the street. The sandwiches here are great! A staple for Sunday trips to the mountain.

Another personal fave that kind of encapsulates Mtl BYOW for me is La Selva - Peruvian family resto on Marie-Anne. Tiny dining room with the most miniature kitchen ever! I don't know if they take reservations...

One last treasure is Senzala - definitely a better bet for Breakfast (Avocado Poached Eggs) as I never got into the whole live music thing for this small place. It is definitely off the beaten path, but if you're heading to St Viateur/Outremont anyways...

BTW - La Banquise's poutine beats out P-P's anyday... with one hand behind it's back... imho =P

[Maximilien]

Is that the one on Sherbrooke ?

I'll take my chances that it is so.

Your a few steps from Pullman, a wine bar with nice "tapas" like food.

A few steps further, you will be on St-Laurent, albeit the fashion/fancy and some other will say snob-ish section of the street ( between sherbrooke st. and Pine av.), but there are couple of interresting places on that stretch or close to , "La Porte", the new Pinxto kid brother restaurant, just on the corner of Sherbrooke and St-Laurent.

once you are on St-Laurent, you can walk up the street to Schwartz, then further up to "PatatiPatata", then further up to "BU" or to L'Atelier, and if you feel like it, you can turn left on Laurier and try the new "Bazaar Anise" or Raza or a few steps more "Margaux" (corner Park and Laurier), or continue to Lemeac.

if you do not want to walk up St-Laurent, just continue east and walk up St-Denis st. more relaxed and "franco" atmosphere, (compared to the multl-etnics of St-laurent), there are some nice street-side terrasses and some classic bistro like L'express or Continental or a bit "fancier" Cocagne; or close by is Brunoise.

for the other directions ( old-mtl and west) I will let others make suggestions, since it's not my forte.

[Margo]

Thank you for the tips Maximilien!

The address of the hotel is:
475 President Kennedy Avenue
Montreal, Quebec H3A 1J7

I have been told by other people to go to Schwartz so that's already on the list.

I also read about bagels being really good, where is the best place for them?

A decently priced French cuisine?

What about bakeries that have good pastries and croissants for breakfast or midmorning snack?

Any help is appreciated!

[NJMtlTourist]

For decently priced French cuisine, I highly recommend Bonaparte in Old Montreal. I reviewed it here:
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/415670

[Peter Cherches]

Bonaparte's lunch is a fantastic deal.

[RhondaB]

For bagels it's either St. Viateur bagel or Fairmont Bagels. St. Viateur Bagel (the original) is located @ 263 St. Viateur West just below Park Avenue & Fairmont located at 74 Fairmont West between St. Urbain & Clark.
Google maps: St. Viateur http://maps.google.com/maps?q=(514)+276-8044,+263,+St-Viateur+Ouest,+Montreal,+Quebec,+Canada,+H2V+1Y1&hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=45.52012,-73.595352&spn=0.012539,0.028582&z=15&om=1
Fairmont: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&h...
Although not bakeries, for breakfast, you are right around the corner for Cafe Art Java at 645 Pres. Kennedy or ... in old Montreal Olive & Gourmando, on rue St. Paul corner rue St. Pierre, one block east of rue McGill. Highly recommend both, however both are closed on Sundays (unfortunately). There's always the chains that you find all over the city such as Au Pain Dore & Premier Moisson for decent croissants/pastries.
If you go to Schwartzs, please know that they are usually packed during peak hours & half the fun is never knowing who you will be seated with if your party is less than 6 people. If you are not sure what to order, i would highly recommend their medium-fat sandwich (the lean is way too dry IMHO) & ordering full fat is extremely tasty but well... it's very fatty. Wash it all down with some fries & a Cott black cherry & you'll be in smoked meat heaven.

[moh]

Don't forget the pickle at Schwartzs, it is a must!

[SnackHappy]

half-sour

[swissfoodie]

Just want to clarify that La Porte (on St-Laurent between Prince Arthur and Pine) is a different establishment than the new Pintxo establishment which is called MAP (corner of St-Laurent and Sherbrooke).

I would also recommend Laloux, on Pine, between St-Laurent and St-Denis. The new kitchen is really doing some interesting and tasty stuff...

[cherylmtl]

The menu at Laloux looks really nice - but I found the food disappointing. Not that it was bad, but there are much better places to try, especially if you're only here for a few days. Lemeac is a much better bet, imho.

[carswell]

You're talking about the new Laloux, with Danny St. Pierre and Patrice Demers at the helm?

[cherylmtl]

Sadly, yes. Ate there last week, and I had really been looking forward to trying it - years ago, it was my favourite resto in the city. But I don't think I will be heading back there in the near future. There are just way too many places that are much better, for the same price (or less).

[swissfoodie]

I really enjoyed my meal there - I have heard from other people however that if you take the menu de dégustation, it's a bit disappointing. This is the sort of place where you want to order a la carte.